PARSIPPANY, N.J.
Avis Rent A Car today unveiled a new version of
Where2TM, the Company’s fully portable Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation device, that offers numerous additional features. The new, slimmer unit features a larger, high-brightness display screen, turn-by-turn directions spoken in more than 40 languages and added services such as traffic alerts, weather reports, stock and news updates, Amber Alerts and movie listings provided by MSN Direct. Avis’s Where2 units will continue be manufactured by Garmin, a leader in GPS navigation, now based on Garmin’s nüvi 780 model.
“The popularity of Where2 with Avis renters has far exceeded our initial projections, and demand continues to grow each month,” said Michael Caron, vice president of product and program development for Avis Budget Group, parent company of Avis. “We’re proud to introduce a new version and team up with MSN Direct to provide customers with up-to-the minute stock and news updates, and other critical information that business travelers can utilize to maximize the productivity of their time away from home.”
The new Where2 system continues to offer Avis customers an array of navigation features including a simple user interface, notification of upcoming traffic snarls/construction tie-ups and recommended alternate routes, Bluetooth hands-free calling capability, three-dimensional maps and MP3 audio playback capability.
“The new, slimmer Where2 unit provides even greater portability and convenience,” Mr. Caron added. “It fits easily into a pocket, handbag or briefcase, so if you have to park some distance from your destination, you can use Where2 to help guide you to your destination and avoid getting lost in an unfamiliar downtown area. Using our new destination planning Web site, you can pre-program the unit with addresses for business meetings or even historical sites to enable a great walking tour of a city during downtime.”
Avis customers who rent Where2 can pre-program such destination information at myWhere2.com or anywhere else on the Web onto a Secure Digital (SD) memory card that can be transferred into the new Where2 units when they pick up their rental vehicle. To use this feature, customers must first download a plug-in available at www.avis.com/mywhere2 and create a bookmark to send addresses of places they want to visit to their personal SD card. When finished, customers can use any Web site or tool to find an address or point of interest and save the addresses directly to their SD memory card, and thus quickly and conveniently program their GPS unit to be able to maximize their productivity while traveling.
Avis’s long-standing tradition of offering technology innovations helps travelers avoid delays while in their travel destination, and thus gain more free time to get work done, or to enjoy leisure activities or vacation time. A study of more than 6,000 Avis business customers found that as much as three hours or more of an average three-day trip is wasted being stuck in traffic jams, lost while driving, waiting to pay tolls and trying to find a high-speed Internet connection. Avis customers can reduce these delays by taking advantage of Avis Where2 GPS navigation systems, Avis Connect portable Wi-Fi Internet access, and Avis’s eToll electronic toll collection solutions in most major markets.
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The new Where2 devices will be available beginning in March. Pricing is $11.95 per day or $49.75 per week. Avis customers can reserve a unit at www.avis.com, by calling 1-800-331-1212 or by contacting a local travel professional.
About Avis
Avis Rent A Car System, LLC and its subsidiaries operate one of the world’s leading car rental brands, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at more than 2,100 locations in the United States , Canada , Australia , New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world’s top brands for customer loyalty, ranking as the number one car rental company in the 2007 Brand Keys® Customer Loyalty Index. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAR).
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